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Old 06-15-2018, 11:53 AM   #81
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I understand the problem now. Still, I wouldn't put my family or RV at risk by driving with the LP and flame on. Too bad there isn't an easy add-on to convert 12 volt to 110/120 AC.
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Old 06-15-2018, 11:56 AM   #82
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I understand the problem now. Still, I wouldn't put my family or RV at risk by driving with the LP and flame on. Too bad there isn't an easy add-on to convert 12 volt to 110/120 AC.
Sure there is:

https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_no...words=inverter

Just need to have sufficient batteries. The trickle charge from the truck isn't going to keep up with the load of an inverter.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:00 PM   #83
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Some state don't allow driving thru their tunnels with propane on, but I never saw a propane road block.
It's basically when you get in an accident and someone dies you can be sure the investigators will be looking your rig over with a fine tooth comb.
It's dangerous to use gas to clean parts or kill weeds but people still do it.
I don't see where any posters on this thread have advocated doing anything illegal or against the manufacturers advice. If it's illegal to have the propane on in a tunnel, then YOU should educate yourself and You should make sure that YOU are following the law. If you're involved in an accident and there is a fatality, YOU can and should expect your rig to come under heavy scrutiny whether the propane is involved or not.

I also fail to see how following the law or the manufacturers recommendations will place you in a higher degree of liability.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:06 PM   #84
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For safety you should not leave your fridge on while driving. Obviously the main reason is you need to leave your propane tanks open. Could be a reL problem in a serous accident. The other concern is that your fridge needs to operate when it’s levels. Going up and down hills, side of the angles etc This causes your fridge to heat up and CAN cause a fire. If you’re determined to drive with you fridge on, I would recommend you look into an ARP device. It will turn off fridge if it starts to overheat. Visit www.arpev.com. For additional info. Hope this helps.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:07 PM   #85
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By "easy add-on" I was thinking of something the dealer could do (or you could do) that included the necessary batteries, mounting, and tie-in to the 110/120v system in the RV.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:26 PM   #86
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By "easy add-on" I was thinking of something the dealer could do (or you could do) that included the necessary batteries, mounting, and tie-in to the 110/120v system in the RV.
Nope, it would not be an easy or quick modification.
Plus you'd probably have to install a bigger charging wire since most tow vehicles only provide a trickle charge at best.

For decades, RVers have traveled with their fridges on propane.
When you look at how rare incidents happen versus how many people have RVs, it's a very low risk IMHO.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:34 PM   #87
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I had a 12v female plug install behind my TV entertainments system and I plug my 50watt pedestal fan into it running off the 12v batteries.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:34 PM   #88
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For safety you should not leave your fridge on while driving. Obviously the main reason is you need to leave your propane tanks open. Could be a reL problem in a serous accident. The other concern is that your fridge needs to operate when it’s levels. Going up and down hills, side of the angles etc This causes your fridge to heat up and CAN cause a fire. If you’re determined to drive with you fridge on, I would recommend you look into an ARP device. It will turn off fridge if it starts to overheat. Visit www.arpev.com. For additional info. Hope this helps.
Sorry, there's a lot of misinformation or exaggeration here.

The risk in an accident is that a line has ruptured, which is a valid concern. However, I can't recall the last time I heard of a fire/explosion in an RV/trailer accident that was caused by the propane being left on.

The water heater and fridge have built-in safeties, too. If the flame goes out then the gas is shut off. Same with your oven. With DSI, it will try and relight but if it fails after a few attempts then it will stop trying and trigger a fault light.

The fridge needs to be generally level and is a slow worker. It will be fine going up and down hills and when off-level it will not overheat and catch fire. Not sure where you got that idea. Being off-level enough for an extended period of time can cause issues with ammonia pooling and prevent the fridge from cooling, but it won't blow its top.

Do whatever you want to do, but spreading FUD and then plugging a product in your first post comes off at a bit self-serving...as if that's your company/product.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:39 PM   #89
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I guess if you go by the stats that you will only be robbed once in your life time why should anyone buy a security system for their home?
If there is a chance you will get in an accident with your trailer and the propane explodes killing everyone nearby in your life time, I would probably keep the propane off.
Really whats the point of leaving the propane on if you only drive less than 6 hours and the fridge will still be ice cold, ice cream might be a little soft.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:45 PM   #90
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No I have no interest in arp device. I in fact turn off my fridge when travelling. I learned of device at quartzsite seminar earlier this year. Cheers
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:49 PM   #91
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I had a 12v female plug install behind my TV entertainments system and I plug my 50watt pedestal fan into it running off the 12v batteries.
Ok...? Not sure what that has to do with this thread.

Our fridge is rated at 2.7A for 120v, that would be 27A if 12v or 324W. The low-amp trickle charge supplied by the trailer plug would be unable to keep up with that, let alone that and the overhead from an inverter. There have already been numerous posts here from folks that own "Pod" trailers that have a small 120v-only fridge and an inverter and even that drains their battery/batteries while towing.

If you want to run on 120v (or 12v if you have a 3-way fridge) while towing then you will need enough battery capacity to supply power until you are able to plug into shore power again.
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Old 06-15-2018, 12:52 PM   #92
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Originally Posted by earlbalentine View Post
I guess if you go by the stats that you will only be robbed once in your life time why should anyone buy a security system for their home?
If there is a chance you will get in an accident with your trailer and the propane explodes killing everyone nearby in your life time, I would probably keep the propane off.
Really whats the point of leaving the propane on if you only drive less than 6 hours and the fridge will still be ice cold, ice cream might be a little soft.
If the propane "explodes killing everyone nearby" then that won't be the fault of leaving the propane on, sorry. The RV uses low-pressure appliances, there'd never be enough flow and build-up of propane to cause an explosion that is like someone set off a bomb. This FUD is getting out of control.
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Old 06-15-2018, 01:06 PM   #93
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What about tunnels?

I've read posts that state they need to stop at tunnels to turn off propane powered devices before entering.

My Class A will turn off my fridge if powered by propane when the engine ignition is turned off - this is for safety at gas pumps.

My father who RVd for years in a class C tells me that its cheaper to run the fridge on propane than electricity provided by an onboard generator. I'm not worried about the generator pulling from the main gas tank, I never run with less than a 1/2 tank, just concerned about the hours running up on the generator.
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Old 06-15-2018, 01:13 PM   #94
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Its not the propane that would explode

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If the propane "explodes killing everyone nearby" then that won't be the fault of leaving the propane on, sorry. The RV uses low-pressure appliances, there'd never be enough flow and build-up of propane to cause an explosion that is like someone set off a bomb. This FUD is getting out of control.
An explosion would be caused by the propane flame igniting vapors from gasoline (liquid gas does not explode). The vapors *normally* produced are minimal and blown away by any breeze, including moving traffic. Its when the "perfect storm" of an RV with propane burning to run a fridge meets vapors in a quantity produced by spilled gas or possibly a fueling truck. Its not likely to occur, but the consequences are potentially severe. Like many safety precautions, they are rarely put into use.
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Old 06-15-2018, 01:25 PM   #95
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An explosion would be caused by the propane flame igniting vapors from gasoline (liquid gas does not explode). The vapors *normally* produced are minimal and blown away by any breeze, including moving traffic. Its when the "perfect storm" of an RV with propane burning to run a fridge meets vapors in a quantity produced by spilled gas or possibly a fueling truck. Its not likely to occur, but the consequences are potentially severe. Like many safety precautions, they are rarely put into use.
Yes, and can you reference any time one of those "perfect storms" has occurred?

If we played the "what if" game for everything that could kill us or someone else then we'd never leave the house and even then there are things around us and things we do that could kill us. There is nothing that is 100% safe in life. Even sitting on the couch doing nothing is unhealthy and will eventually kill you.

We all take calculated risks. The calculated risk of towing with the propane/fridge on is very low. There are many other things that we do every day that have much higher risks and yet we still do them.

Is there a risk? Sure. I just don't get why people are exaggerating the risk.
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Old 06-15-2018, 02:10 PM   #96
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There are YouTube videos on the subject that tell you why it is not a safe practice. Why Chance s fire just to keep drinks cold. All manufacturers say the fridge will stay cold for at least 6 hours if kept closed. The propane lines run all through the trailer to the fridge, furnace, stove, water heater etc. if you have the tank valve on then those line have propane in them. In the case of an accident they can rupture.You can use blue ice blocks on the food that needs to be cold also. And a cooler with ice for cold drinks and snacks without endangering yourself or others.
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Old 06-15-2018, 02:50 PM   #97
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Propane lines on fire don't blow up the tanks. Back during my fire fighter training days we would do propane fire training on things like BBQ grills with the hose cut and lit on fire. Big flames, but no explosions. And this was years ago even before the high flow auto shut off safety features in the new tanks since 2002.



Turning the propane off at a gas station is a smart thing to do, but while driving, the 15 to 30 gallons of gasoline in the plastic tank of the tow vehicle most every other car on the road is probably a greater risk.in an accident.
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Old 06-15-2018, 04:43 PM   #98
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Propane lines on fire don't blow up the tanks. Back during my fire fighter training days we would do propane fire training on things like BBQ grills with the hose cut and lit on fire. Big flames, but no explosions. And this was years ago even before the high flow auto shut off safety features in the new tanks since 2002.



Turning the propane off at a gas station is a smart thing to do, but while driving, the 15 to 30 gallons of gasoline in the plastic tank of the tow vehicle most every other car on the road is probably a greater risk.in an accident.
All it needs is an ignition source like a pilot light. Or sparks from metal scraping on the pavement or the accident it self.
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Old 06-15-2018, 05:13 PM   #99
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All it needs is an ignition source like a pilot light. Or sparks from metal scraping on the pavement or the accident it self.
Or a cigarette, or a lit match, or a magnifying glass shining on it, or...

...and still no explosion.

What about the propane-powered trucks?
Or even the propane-powered trucks that are HAULING propane?

I think people watch too many movies with special effects and overthink things. Turn your propane off if you want, I'll tow with mine on.

I've got nothing else to say here, so I'll shut my pie hole.
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Old 06-15-2018, 05:15 PM   #100
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I regularly pull a Dometic full or nearly full fridge, one that is thoroughly cooled with an 8# bag of ice in the freezer and completely turned OFF for anywhere from 5 to 24 hours without anything getting near to warm...

The ice is still hard and the fridge is still cold... I have yet to do this for 24 hours in 90 degree temps, but 5-8 hours is no problem even in the heat...
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